Web cut-off mechanism



Aug. 25, 1936.

H. B. GREENWOOD x WEB CUT-OFF MECHANISM Filed April 27, 1935 6Sheets-Sheet 1 I H. B. -GREENWOOD WEBCUT-OFFMECHANISM Filed April 27,1955 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 H. B. GREENWOOD WEB CUT-OFF MECHANISM Filed April27, 1955 6 Sheet -s 5 Aug. 25, 1 936. 3 GREENWOOD I 2,052,4 6E

WEB CUT-OFF MECHANISM .Fiied April 27, 1935 e Sheets-Sheet 4 Allg- 1936.H. B. GREENWOOD WEB CUT-OFF MECHANISM Filed April 27, 1935 6Sheets-Sheet 5 A 1936- H. B. GREENWOOD I 2,052,461

WEB CUT-OFF MECHANISM Filed April 3*}, 1955 s Sheets-Sheet e Q I Q x Q QI \\\\\'\\\l\\ l\\\ Patent ed Aug. 25,'\1936 I WEB CUT-OFF 7 Henry B.Greenwood, Glenarm, Md., assignor' to F. X. Hooper Company, Inc.,Glenarm, Md., a

corporation of Maryland Application April 27, 1935, Serial No. 18,500 18Claims. (cl. 164-68) The object of the invention is to provide animproved cutoff mechanism particularly adapted for use in cutting paperand making box blanks from a continuous web or for cutting sheets ofuniform but adjustable lengths for any purpose from a, continuous web ofpaper. The machine of the invention is equally usable in cutting sheetsi from any kind of relatively stiff paper or similar material includingdouble faced corrugated board which may be fed to it.

The web may be fed from the machine on which it is made or from-anysuitable and convenient source. In the preferredform of the machine,although this is not essential to the'use 1.3 of various inventivefeatures of the machine, there is cutting'means at the feed end forslitting the web longitudinally into a plurality of rela- 'tively narrowwebs which are led to the respective cutting heads, there being acutting head 20 for each of the webs into which the main webis-separated by slitting. In order that blanks of any desired widthmaybe cut, the cutters or knives may be of a length equal to the fullwidth of the main or original web and the slitting knife 25 -or cutteris adjustable laterally for a suflicient distance to give any desiredwidth of the resulting slit webs.

In the form of the invention shown the cutting heads are separatelydriven at speeds which are 30 separately adjustable relatively to thefeed so that the length of the blanks may be varied and for this purposethe machine of the invention in I the preferred form is shown asprovided with a change speed device in the form of a hydraulic 35 drive,for each cutter head, the hydraulic drive providing a convenient andsatisfactory adjustment of the speed, i. e., number of cuts per minuteof each cutter head which adjustment can be operated either when themachine is standin 40 idle or while it is running.

-The machine of the inventionalso includes a drive forgthe cutter ofeachl'cutter head having an eccentrically adjustable member which isdriven from a circular gear with which it 45 rotates coaxially formedium cuts, the eccentricity of the said member being adjustable inradial directions independently of the adjustment as to the length ofcut, this adjustment being operable 4 either while the machine is.standing idle or 5 while it is running. In this-adjustment said memberis moved in one direction from its coaxialposition to increasefthe knifespeed at the time of cutting and inthe opposite direction from thisposition to decrease the knife speed at 55 the timed cutting so theoperator may obtain ing mechanisms in relation to which the cutter i thedesired relation of the speed of the cutter to the speed of the paper asthe speed of the cutter 1 head is changed relatively to the speed of thepaper to change the length of cut.

. An important advantage of the improved ma- 5 chinewhich may bereferred to as an object of the invention is that both of theadjustments referred to, i; e., the number of rotations per minute togive the desired length of cut and the eccentricity, i. e., the knifespeed at thetime of 10 cutting, are entirely independent and separatelyoperated and may be effected either when the machine is standing idle orwhen it is running, and it is the purpose of the construction thus adefined that the main adjustment. of each'be effected while the machineis standing idle, the minute final adjustment if further adjustment bedesired, being performed while the machine is running.

The invention is of particular advantage in connection with theadjustment of the speed of the cutter heads which determines the lengthof the sheet'or blank to be cut as it avoids the waste of paper incidentto cutting a number of unusable sheets of sizes varying between the cutat the original and the cut at the final adjustment Y which is anecessary incident to performing the entire adjustment as to the size ofthe sheet while the machine is running, which is an essential of certainof the machines of the prior art. The eccentric adjustment which isoperable while the machine is standing idle and is intend ed to be sooperated particularlyfor the maifi adjustments, has the importantadvantage that for medium cuts there is no eccentricity at all,

the knife moving smoothly at a-uniform speed which is substantiallyequal to the. feed, the cocentricity being changed from thisintermediatepoint inone direction'for the long blanks and in the opposite directionfor the short blanks. 40

In this respect 'the eccentric of the present invention which isadjusted radially has an important advantage over the elliptic gears ofexisti is angularly adjusted, the change of speed at the ends of theelliptic gears giving an objectionable jar orjerky motion which is anunavoidable incident to the operation, whereas in the machine of theinvention, there being no elliptic gears or any gears which are notcircular, able feature is eliminated. The ma is, in factgdesigned to cutmedium lengths, of most frequent occurrence with no eccentricity or aslight eccentricity of the drive, the adjustment being on or nearcenter. For short and 55 I objection-- g long blanks the eccentricity isincreased in opposite directions.

In making the adjustments referred to, the main adjustments both of theeccentric and the speed of the cutter head which in the preferred formhas a hydraulic drive, are made while the machine is standing idle andbefore the machine is started. In this way the operator can come veryclose to the correct, if he does not achieve exactly the correct lengthof blank, and substantially the correct speed of the knife, after whichslight adjustments of the speed of the cutter head and the speed of theknife at the point of cutting, i. e., the hydraulic drive and theeccentric adjustment may, if such adjustment is necessary, be madealternately and correctively each as to the other, until the desiredadjustment is reached. An important advantage of this arrangement isthat after the first or main adjustments made when the machine isstanding, the machine being started, the blanks out are usable, i. e.,very close to the correct size so there is no waste of paper.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a shearingcutter or shearing cutters or knives as they are termed herein. Theedges of these knives are substantially straight but inclined to theaxes of the respective shafts by which they are'carried, the edgesconverging toward one end and being substantially in a plane parallel toa radial plane of the cutter shafts, the surface of the knivesimmediately back of the cutting edges referred to as shearing surfacesbeing so arranged that the edge of one knife slides in contact with theshearing surface of the other knife, giving a shearing action and astraight cut. As the cutting edges pass each other, the cuttingprogresses from one side of the material to the other as their shaftsrotate, and the cut is straight because the knives advance as they ro-.

tate, the advance of the knives being substantially at the same speed asthe speed of the paper.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a cutoff mechanismembodying the features of the invention in the preferred form.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation showing the cutting heads and the paperfeed.

Figure 2 is a corresponding view of the slitting knives which are inadvance of the cutting gear in the direction of feed, i. e., to theright in Figure 1, the cut web being shown as extending toward andmeeting the lines of the web where it terminates at the right in Figure1.

. Figure 3 is a section on the line 3, 3 in Figure 1 showing theeccentric adjustment of the drive for the cutter shaft for one cuttinghead.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4, 4 in Figure 3 looking to the left.

Figure 5 is a detail of the cutting knives taken at right angles to theaxis, i. e. on line 5, 5 in Figure 7.

Figure 6 is a view of the cutting knives looking in the direction of thearrow in Figure 5.

Figure '7 is-an elevation looking at the machine in the direction offeed, i. e., from the direction from which the material is fed to themachine, 1. e., the right in Figure 1.

Figure 8 is a plan view of the hydraulic drive also showing the gearingand shaft by which these hydraulic drive units are driven and the shaftsby which their motion is transmitted to the cutter headslookingfrom line8, 8, Figure 7.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary elevation, showing the shafts driven by thehydraulic drive units,

driving the cutter heads. It is taken on the same plane as is Figure 8.

'Referring to the drawings by numerals and having particular referenceto Figures 1 and 2, the construction shown comprises slitting mechanismincluding rollers I and 2, to which the main web 3 of paper to be cutinto blanks as described is fed in any suitable manner. The upper roll 2is provided with a peripheral knife 4 and the lower roll I isperipherally grooved at 4 to receive the knife. The rollers carrying theknife and groove aforesaid are laterally adjustable and capable of beingsecured to their respective shafts in any position of lateral adjustmentto determine the width of the split webs 1 and 8.

The machine in the preferred form further comprises two cutting headsindicated in a general way by reference characters 5 and 6. The main web3 being split or slitted by the knife 4, forms two webs I and 8, the web1 being directed upwardly at a slight angle to the horizontal to thefirst cutting head 5 and the web 8, being defiected downwardly also at aslight angle to the horizontal and led to the second cutting head 6. Thecutting head 5 is provided with a knife 9 and the cutting head 6 with aknife II and each cutting head is provided with the other cutting meansopposed to the knife which may be a second knife or any other suitablemeans, other machines in the art being provided with a groove to beentered by the knife in cutting. In the present construction illustratedherein, the cutter head 5 is provided with a second knife l opposed tothe knife 9 and the cutting head 6 is provided with a knife l2 opposedto the knife I l.

The cutter head has a transverse cutter shaft [4 and the cutter head 6has a transverse cutter shaft IS.

The illustration, Figure 8, also comprises a hydraulic or otheradjustable speed drive ii for the cutter head 5, and I! for the cutterhead 6, l

and each of the cutter heads comprises an eccentric adjustment indicatedin a general way by reference character l8, see Figures 3 and 4.

Referring again to Figure 8, the cutting head 5 is driven from thehydraulic drive shaft l6 by means of a pinion 20 on said shaft whichthrough intermediate gears 2i, 22, drives the toothed gear 24 which inturn meshes with the large toothed gear 25 which rotates about thecutter shaft 4, being mounted to rotate freely about the sleeve 26 whichit keyed to rotate with the shaft H by keys 26'. The sleeve 26 is drivenby a radial arm 21 which carries a follower 28. The follower 28 slidesin a radial groove 29 in an eccentric plate 30 which has an axiallyprojecting hub 3| near its center, the said hub encircling the shaft l4but being spaced outwardly therefrom, the opening in the hub at l4 beingconsiderably larger than the shaft. This hub or boss 3|, as it may becalled,'projects through, rotates in and is carried by an eccentriccarrier block 32 to be further described. It is also to be noted at thistime that the gear 25 carries a follower 33' which rides in a radialslot 34' in..the eccentric plate 30, the slot being in the form showndiametrically opposite the slot 29 which engages the followe 28.

It will thus be apparent that the gear 25 being driven from thehydraulic drive as described drives and rotates the eccentric plate 30which in turn by way of the follower 26 drives collar 26 shaft.'

Referring. now to Figure 'i, it will be noted that the carrier block 32,which has a bearing '34- enclosing the hub or boss 3i of eccentric plate38, is mountedv to slide vertically in ways 33 which are in turn mountedon a stationary portion of the machine, means to be further describedbeing provided for jmoving the block up and down,

' of the knife in its cycle..

. upper end in the .The boss or collar 3! is held against motion in thedirection of its axis in relation to the carrier block 32 which moves inthe guides 33 by means of a plate 35 secured to the end of said boss 3iand overlapping It is of importance that the knife 8' is timed with theplate38'to cut at the maximum and minimum speeds respectively, of theshaft i4, the knife being in the present instance for this purpose.mounted in or near the radial plane of the sl'ots 28 and 34' so thatwhen the plate or member 38 is up, the speed at the time of cutting isthe maximum speed in the knife cycle, and when it is down, the speed atthe time of cutting is the minimum speed of the knife in its cycle. Theknife i8 is timed to meet the knife 8 at the time of cutting ashereinafter described.

' In order to move the carrier block 32 up and.

down effecting the adjustment referred to, I have provided in the formof the machine shown, which is understood may be widely varied as tothese details, a carrier'screw 36 secured at its block 32 into which itis shown as threaded, being held stationary by means of a locknut 31',the lower end of the screw 36 is threaded into an internally threadedsleeve 31 which rotates in a stationary bearing and guide 38. Thissleeve is supported.- in bearing 38 by a collar 38 encircling the upperend of the sleeve 31. and secured thereto by a setscrewlli; This collar38 is shown as resting on a thrust hearing 4i on the upper end oftheguide bearing 38. The sleeve 31 projects downwardly from the bearing 38having secured to its lower end a bev-,

elled gear 42 and between the lower end ofthe bearing 38 and the hub 43ofthe bevelled gear 42 there is a second thrust bearing 44. The bevelledgear 42 is in turn engaged by a bevelled gear 45 mounted on a hand wheelshaft 46, the axis of the-gear 45 and the shaft 46 being shown ashorizontal and at right angles to the axis of the gear 42. The handwheelshaft 46 is mounted in a suitable stationary bearing 41 formed on thebracket 48 secured to the gear casing 48 which is in turn secured to theframe of the machine 58. This frame also carries a bearing i for thecutter shaft M. The shaft 52 of the lower cutter or cutter roll to bedescribedt also has a bearing 53 in the frame 50. r

The hand wheel shaft 46 projects to melee in Figure 3 from'the bracket48 toward the outoperation of bevelled gears 42 and 45,

sideof the casing 48- and' hassecured to its projecting end portion thehub 54 of a suitable hand wheel 55 for adjusting the position of theeccentricplate 38 and the relative speeds of the cutter shaft atdifferent points in its rotation by to rotate a v 2,052,401 which iskeyed to the shaft l4 and drives the the surface of the carrier blockthe 'sleeve 31, thus raising or lowering screw 36,

carrier block 32, hub 3I- and plate 38.

Figure 4 shows the mechanism just described in end elevation. Figuredalso includes an indicator dial 66 with graduations 51 thereon and astationary pointer 58' whereby the speed'of. the knife at the point ofcutting may be indicated to the operator to assist him in adjusting themachine. This indicator dial 56 is mounted on a shaft 58 supported in asuitable bearing Nikon the casing. This shaft 58' has secured thereto apinion 6| which meshes 'witha vertical rack 62' secured at its upper endto the carrier block 32 by means of screws 63'.so' that as the blockmoves up and down and the eccentricity of the plate 38 is changedandhence the relative speeds of the shaft vl4 in its cycle are changed,this change is indicated by the graduations 51 on the dial 56, suchindications being determined by 1 means of the pointer 58'. Theindicator may read in length of cut.

Figure 1 shows at theleft a hand wheel 58 for operating the eccentricadjustment of the second cutter head 6 which is provided with amechanism practically identical with that described in connection withcutting head 5 including the carrier block 58, ways 68, eccentric plate6| and adjusting screw 62. A

The operation of these parts having been described in connection withthe first cutting head 5, a specific description of them is consideredunnecessary, but it is noted in this connection that the relation .ofthe parts is inverted, the hand wheel being at the top, the screw 82being above the carrier block 58 and the cutter rolls to be furtherdescribed being inverted with the small roll uppermost whereas the largeroll is uppermost in the first cutting head 5. Cutting head 6 is drivenfrom shaft 86 by gear 8 thereon which meshes with gear I i I, whichdrives gear H2 which in turn drives large gear H4 which drives cuttinghead 6 as gear 25 drives cutting head 5. and H6 carrying knives II andI2. Gear 4 drives plate 6|, as gear 25 drives plate 38.

Referring now to Figures 5 and 6, trate in detail the cutter knives andthe manner of mounting them, having particular reference to the firstcutter head .5, the two sets of knives being .practically identical, inthe form of the invention shown the knives 8 and III, which extend theentire width of 'the main web, are mounted on cylindrical rollersillustrated fragmentarily in Figure 5 and in elevation in Figure 7 at 65and 66. The roller 65 of cutter head 5, which is the upper and thelarger roller, and preferably tubular, is mounted .on the shaft i4,.see

groove 68 for the knife l0 extending inwardly from the surface, Bothknives 8 and I8 extend the entire length of the corresponding rollerswhich, in turn, comprise the entire width of the web as fed to themachine. The cutter bar 61 and radial surface 18 of groove 68 serve assupporting means for the, respective knives 8, i8,

each of which knives-has a base or body portion 1|, '12, fromwhichblades 13 and 14 project outwardly from the bodies and from the rollers.The knife body H is secured in the rabbet v68 in the which illus-j Thishead operates cutting'roilersli5 bar 81 by means of set screws 15 andthe knife body 12 is secured to radial surface III by means of setscrews 16, resting at its end against the bottom of the groove 68. Inthis figure the feed is from the right, the upper roller rotating inright handed and the lower in left handed phase. The upper knife has acutting edge 11 extending its entire length and the lower knife has acutting edge 18 of similar length. Both the knives are of considerablethickness the exact shape of the blade backwardly from the cutting edgeand the shearing surface to be described, being unimportant except thatit is desirable to have it of considerable thickness and strength. Bothknives are provided with shearing surfaces extending inwardly toward therespective centers of the corresponding rolls from the edges 11 and 18.The shearing surface 19 of the upper knife closely approaches the radialas to the roller 65, extending inwardly from the edge 'I'I in a planewhich is substantially a radial plane of the knife, although this planemay be varied to give the shearing contact with edge 18 as described.and in accordance with the correspondence of the motion of the rollerand the motion of the edge 18. Inwardly from the surface IS the surfaceof the blade 14 is inclined in the direction of feed, i. e., to the leftand toward the center of the roll 65. The blade 13 of knife I is alsoprovided with a shearing surface 80 which closely approaches a radialplane, the portion of the surface inwardly from this shearing surfacebeing inclined oppositely to the direction of the feed and toward thecenter of the roller 68 so that each cutting edge is in a radial planeof its 7 axis. It will also be noted by reference to Figure 6 that thecutting edges ll, 18 instead of being parallel are inclined to the axesof the respective rollers so that in cuttingposition they convergetoward the left in Figure 6 so that, as the rollers rotate in thedirection stated, the

knives moving to the left from the position shown in Figure 5, which maybe referred to as the point of initial contact of the cutting edges, thecontact point progresses to the right in Figure 6. It is also ofimportance that the surfaces .19, 80 are so formed that in the rotationof the rollers which are geared together, as shown in Figure '7, theedge I8 moves with a shearing action over the shearing surface 19inwardly in relation to the cutter roll 65 and the cutting edge 11 ofblade ll moves inwardly over the shearing surface 80 of the blade 13 andinwardly of the roller 68. This action of the blades 13, I4 as to theiredges 11, 18 is in a way very similar to the action of a pair of shearsin that the point of cutting moves from one end toward the other and thecutting operation is essentially a shearing action, the contour of thesurfaces 19, 80 as already pointed out, being such that the cutting edgeof each knife-slides inwardly over the corresponding surface of theopposed knife as cutting progresses, and as the paper is fed at a speedwhich closely coincides with the forward speed of the knives in thedirection of feed, the point of cutting progresses in a straight lineacross the paper or the material being cut, giving a straight cutwithout the use of a. helical cutting edge. The operation differs fromthat of an ordinary .pair of shears in that there is no change ofdirection of the edges in their relatio to the plane of cutting.

The straight cutting edges of the. present conexample.

cutting condition than the helical edges in general use'for thispurpose, on account of the difficulty incident to accurately sharpeningthe irregular surfaces of a helical cutter, and the shearing cut is ofincreased efficiency.

Figure 7 shows the rollers 65 and 66 and shafts I4 and 52 thereof,geared together to rotate simultaneously' to give equal speeds of theknife edges, the gears being indicated by reference characters ll, '82at the right and 83, 84 at the left. These intermeshing gears aresupplied at both ends to prevent twisting and disalignment and tomaintain uniform contact of the knife edges. I

Referring now to Figures 7 and 8, the hydraulic drive units indicated byreference characters l6 .and I! for the respective cutter heads 5 and 6,are shown in top plan in Figure 8 and in elevation in Figure 7. Each ofthese units comprises any suitable type of change gear mechanism. In theform shown each unit l6, I1 is of the hydraulic type comprising arotating multicylinder pump and a rotating multicylinder motor driven bythe hydraulic fluid under pressure ,rirom the pump, the pump and motorbeing placed in alignment with the driving and driven shafts projectingon opposite sides of the casing as shown. The details of the pump andmotor are not part of the present invention being described in priorUnited States patents of which Patent No. 1,998,984, showing such a pumpor motor, is an The drive employed is known asoil gear drive describedin the catalogue of The Oil Gear Company. The hydraulic drive as used isof importance only as claimed in combination able source of power by wayof the shaft 85 which may be connected to a machine which supplies paperto the cutter so that it has a direct speed ratio with the feed. Thisshaft carries a bevelled gear 86 which meshes with a bevelled gear 81 ona shaft It which carries the actuating member of the change speed unitor pump within the casing IS, the pump and the hydraulic motor which itdrives not being shown. Interposed in this shaft may be a coupling 90which provides flexibility to take up any disalignment. Extending to theright from the unit I 6 is the upper or first cutting head drive shaftl6 which is driven at adjustable speeds by the hydraulic drive unit It.This shaft contains coupling 92 which pro-,

vides flexibility and thus permits and provides alignment. This unit ll,as does the unit It just described, includes a pump indicated in Figure7 and a hydraulic motor driven by the fluid under pressure therefromboth the pump and v the motor being of the rotary multicylinder type asshown in said patent. Other types of change speed mechanismmay be usedbut the hydraulic drive has important advantages already pointed out.The hydraulic unit I! drives the hydraulic drive shaft it which drivesthe lower or second cutting head.

In the form of the invention shown, each of the hydraulic units iscontrolled as to its'speed by an electric motor indicated at IOI as tothe unit I6, and I02 as to the unit I1. This electric motor is connectedto a valve located within each casing I6", I1 not shown which valvecontrols the flow of fluid to the pump in each unit I6 and I1 as thevalve is shifted by the 'motor in controlling the speed of the pump, theposition of the valve being in turn indicated as to unit I6 by means ofa dial I03 and pointer I04, and as to the unit within the respectivecasings.

The drawing, Figure 8, also includes a lever switch II1 controllingmotor IM and a similar switch IIO for controlling motor I02 whereby therespective motors are operated to change the speed of the respectivecutting heads 5 and 6 relative to the feed of the paper, thus chang ingthe length of the sheets or blanks cut.

The material to be cut is fed in the form of a web 3 to the machine fromany suitable source which may be a machine by which-the material is madeor any suitable feeding device. The shaft 05 which drives the cuttingheads, see Fig-, ure 1, is driven from said machine or from any sourceof power which operates the feed. To feed the material through themachine any suitable mechanism is provided. In the machine shown theshaft 86, Figure 1, which is driven by bevelled gears 36,. 61 from theshaft 35, carries secured thereto two sprockets I20, I2I, Figure '1. Thesprocket I drives a chain I22, Figure 1, which operates a feed roll I24on shaft I24. Roll I24 supports the web 1 as it enters the cutter head5.-

Cooperating with this feed roll is a presser roll I25. This presser rollis of short length in the direction of its axis and serves to hold thema terial, i. e., center of the web, in contact with the center of thefeed roller I24. The roller I25 is mounted on a lever I26 which ispivoted intermediately on a shaft I21 along which shaft the lever I26and the roller I25 are adjustable in the direction of the axis of theshaft. The roller I25 is held in contact with the paper by a tensionspring I26 which is connected at one end to the means of a screw I29which bears on the top of the lever I26 near the spring I28, preventingend of the lever I26 opposite to the roller I25 and at the otherend to astationary support. The lowermost position of the roller I25 is adjustedby crushing of the paper.

From the rollers I24. I25 the web 1 is fed to the knives 9 and I0, andbeyond the knives the out sections of the web or blank are supported andcarried forwardly out of the machine by the conveyor I30, the roller I24 or the shaft I24 there-, of carries two sprockets, the sprocket I23which is engaged by the chain I22 to drive the roller I24 and sprocketI3I which drives a chain I32 whichextends forwardly. This chain I32drives" a'sprocket I33 which in turn is secured to and operates a rollerI34, which drives the conveyor. I which is duly supported as shown bysupporting roll I35 and tension roll I35.

' The second sprocket. I2I on shaft 68 drives a chain I36 which operatesa feed roller I31 for the second cutting head 6. Cooperating with thisis a presser roller I38 similar to the roller I25 and similarlycontrolled, a sprocket I39 carried by the roller I01 or itsshaftoperates a chain I 40 which in turn operates a conveyor I4Icorresponding to the conveyor I30 wherebythe cut blanks are carriedforward from the second cutting head 6 and out of the machine. I

In the operation of the machine the web 3 from any suitable source towhich feed the drive shaft 6515 connected as aforesaid is fed to theslitting rolls I, 2, carrying the slitting knife 4 by which the web 3issplit forming the separate webs I and 8, the web 1 being fed by rollerI24, to the cutting head 5, particularly the knives 9 and I0 thereof,and the web 8 being fed over a chute or support I42 to the roller I31whereby it is fed to the cutting head 6, particularly the knives II,

I2 thereof. I

The length of the blanks as cut is determined by the ratio of the speedof rotation of the cut-- tingheads to the feed of the paper, whichlatterbears a constant relation to the speed of the shaft 85 which asaforesaid is connected to the feedin source from which the paper is ledto the machine.

The feed rolls I24, I31 also operate at a speed which bears a constantrelation to the speed of the feeding means for web 3, their surfacesmoving at the speed of the paper. The speed of the cutting heads and thenumber of strokes or cutt'ng cycles per minute of the knives 9, I0, II,I2

is regulated in its relation to the paper feed at I in any unit which issatisfactory to the user of the a machine which may, if desired, bereadable in terms'of the length of the cut blanks. The principaladjustment of the change speed drive for the cutting heads which in theform shown is a hydraulic drive is preferably made while the machine isidle, the dials I03 and I05-being thus utilized to determine the desiredlength of the blank, a close approximation of the length being obtainedin this way so that when the machine is started, the blanks which arecut areusable. By this method of adjustment a considerable amount ofpaper is saved which would bewasted if the adjustment were made with themachine running, thus cutting a considerable number of tric plates 30,6|, the blocks being moved by the screws, 62, which are'in turn operatedby the hand wheels 55, 58.- The dials 56 and 51", connected to therespective carrier blocks, are graduated in units indicating the properadjustment for the different lengths of blank.

As already pointed out, a sufficiently accurate adjustment of themachine to make usable blanks is obtained while the machine isstationary, the adjustment being .set according to the dials. The

v machine being'ordinarily empty at the endof the previous run, is thenstarted, a further adjust- .ment,. if'necessary, being obtained byoperation of either orboth adjustments until exactly the desired lengthof cut and-speed of the knife are obtained. It should be understood thatafter changing the speed of the hydraulic drive and the speed of thecutting head to change the length of cut, it may be necessary to changethe position of the eccentric adjustment to adjust the speed of thecutter, there being in the preferred form of machine shown, no constantrelation during adjustment between the hydraulic drive and-the cutterspeed at the point of cutting. These adjustments if both should be usedwhile running. are used alternately and each correctly as to the other.

It is also of interest that the medium cuts comprising to per cent. ofthe sheets which ordinarily would be cut, can be obtained with apractically constant speed of the knife through: out its cycle, thespeed of the knife being equal to the speed of the paper. Inthe'preferred form of machine shown, the eccentrically adjustable member30 is for this purpose on center or nearly on center with the cutterroll shaft M of the first cutter head 5 and I5 of the second cutter head6, the absence of any change of speed of the knife during its cyclegiving a smoother operation of the cutters than can be obtained in anyother way. The fact that at and near the medium or mean cut, all of therotating parts, including the eccentric plate, are on center andsubstantially balanced, is of importance in giving smoothness ofoperation, and the fact that the eccentrically adjustable member 30 isadjustable from this position in one direction for reduced length ofcuts and in the opposite direction for increased length of cuts givesthe minimum of eccentricity as to the extreme adjustments.

Though the dimensions are unimportant, it is of interest that in thepreferred form of the machine illustrated the mean cut being 60 inches,the path of the upper knife 9 in the first cutting head and the lowerknife I I of the second cutting head is 60 inches long, thecircumferences of the large cutter rolls 65 and H5 being equal to thelength of the medium blanks cut. Further, the angular velocity of thecutters is uniform at the medium cut, the surface speed of these rollersand the cutter speed beingequal to the speed of' the paper, and theadjustments essential to increasing and decreasing the length of out aremade in opposite directions from this medium adjustment, the variationsin speed of the knife and carrier in their cycle essential to the longerand shorter cuts above and below-the medium, are corresponding reducedas compared to the prior art machines having an eccentric adjustable inone direction only from on center position and the elliptical gear typeof machine. The eccentric motion is an important advance over theelliptic gears of the prior art, it being an essential feature of theelliptic gears that they have an objectionable jerking motion whichcauses a harmful vibration of the parts under all cutting conditions.

A feature of the operation which is also of importance is that in theoperation of the eccentric adjustment for-cuts less than the medium, thecut takes place at the low speed point of the knife in its cycle, theadjustments being to one side of the on center position, and in makingcuts greater than the medium cut, the cut takes place at the high speedposition of the knife in its cycle, the adjustments being to the otherside of the on center position of the eccentric.

It is ,also of interest as to the preferred form of the machine shownthat all moving parts of the cutter head are in rotation on circularpaths, the connection between the cutter roll and the gears beingeccentrically adjustable on opposite sides of the center to be utilizedin cutting at extreme fast or slow points of the cutting cycle, 5 sothat the operator may adjust the speed of the knife at variable cuttingspeeds, to the speed of the paper.

I have thus described specifically and in detail a cutoff mechanism fora paper or similar web, the description being specific and in detail inorder that the manner of constructing, applying, operating and using thedevice may be fully understood, however, the specific terms herein areused descriptively rather than in a limiting sense, the scope of theinvention being defined in the claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a cutoff mechanism of the type described 20 a rotary driving gear,a cutter, rotary means coaxial, with the gear, driving the cutter fromthe gear to move in successive cutting cycles, means for feeding acontinuous web to the cutter which r moves in the direction of feed atthe instant of cutting, means for changingithe speed of such gearrelatively to the feed to change the length of cutting and means foradjusting the speed of the cutter at the instant of cutting to the speedof the paper, comprising an eccentrically adjustable rotating membereccentrically connected on one side of its axis to said gear and on theother side of its axis to said rotary means, said member rotatingcoaxially with the gear at medium cuts and being adjustable radially inopposite directions from said coaxial position, the adjustment in onedirection serving to increase and in the other direction serving todecrease the speed of the cutter in its cycle at the instant of cutting.

2. The combination in a machine for cutting paper and similar materialssupplied to the machine in the form of a continuous web, of a paper feedand a cutting head and a knife, means for operating the cutting head tomove the knife in successive cutting cycles in which it moves in thedirection of paper feed at the point of cutting, a change speed drivefor the cutting head independent of the feed, for changing the speed ofthe cutting head relatively to the feed to determine the length of thecut, the same being operable while the machine is standing idle for mainadjustments and while the machine is running for other adjustments, andmeans operable while the machine is standing idle for main adjustmentsand while the machine is running for other adjustments to change thespeed of the knife in the direction of paper feed at the point ofcutting, relatively to the speed of the cutting head, the twoadjustments being separately and correctively operated each as to theother.

3. The combination in a machine for cutting paper and similar materialssupplied to the machine in the form of a continuous web, of a paperfeed, a cutting head and a knife, the cutting'head operating to move theknife in successive cutting cycles in which it moves'in the direction offeed at the point of cutting, a hydraulic drive for the cutting headhaving a change of speed independent of the feed for determining thelength cut, the change of speed being operable while the machine isstanding idle for main adjustments as to the length of the cut andoperable while the machine is running for other adjustments, and meansoperable while the machine is standing for main adjustments and whilethe machine is running for 75 other adjustments to change the speed ofthe knife at the point oficutting relatively to the speed of the cuttinghead so that the speed of theknife may be adjusted to the speed of thepaper for the different lengths of cuts.

4. In a machine for cutting material from a web to form blanks oflengths adjustable at the will of the operator, a knife, means forfeeding the web thereto, circular gears to operate said knife to move inthe direction of and at the speed of the material and transverselythereto to cut a predetermined medium length therefrom at a uniformangular velocity of said gears and said knife in their respectivecycles, means for varying the velocity of said gears by increasing theirspeed relatively to the rate of feed from their speed at said medium cutto decrease the length of the material cut from the web and bydecreasing their speed below the speed at medium cut to increase thelength of cut, and means independent of said velocity varying means forchanging the relation of the speed of the knife at the point of cuttingto the angular speed of said circular gears,

said means being adapted to decrease the speed of driving said knife theknife relative to the speed of the circular gears from the ratio atmedium cut in cutting shorter lengths of material, and to increase thespeed of the knife at the point of cutting relatively to the speed ofsaid gears from the ratio at medium cut in cutting longer lengths ofmaterial than said medium cut, and both said adjusting means beingseparately operated at the will of the operator either while the machineis standing or while it is running.

5.,In a machine for cutting material from a web to form blanks oflengths adjustable at the will of the operator, a knife, means forfeeding the web thereto, circular gears to operate said knife to move inthe direction of and at the speed of the j material and transverselythereto to cut a prede termined medium length therefrom at a uniformangular velocity of said gears and said knife in their respectivecycles, means for varying the ve-' locity of said, gears by increasingtheir speed relatively to the rate of feed from their speed at saidmedium cut to decrease the length of the material cut from the web andby decreasing their speed below the speed at medium cut to increase thelength of cut, and means for changing the relation of the speed of theknife at the pointof cutting to the angular speed of said circulargears, said means being adapted to decrease the speed of the kniferelative to the speed of the circular gears from the ratio at medium cutin cutting shorter lengths of material, and to increase the speed of theknife at the point of cutting relatively to the speed of said gears fromthe ratio at medium cut in cutting longerlengthsof material than saidmedium out.

. 6. In a machine for cutting material from a web to form blanks oflengths adjustable at the will 'of the operator comprising a knife,means for feeding the web thereto, circular gears to operate 'the knifein successive cutting cycles to move in the direction of the material atthe point of cutting and at the speed of the materlaland transverselythereto to cut a predetermined medium length therefrom at a uniformangular 'velocity of said gears and said vknife, means for. varying thevelocity of .said gears by increasing or-decreasing their speedrelatively to their speed at said medium cut and relatively to the rateof ffed, and an eccentrically adjustable member from one-of said gearsfor speed'of the knife at the" point of 'chans st e I of feed at thepoint of cutting,

7 changes of speed for'main adjustments while final adjustments while'cutting relatively to the angular speed of said circular gears and toits speed at other points in' its cycle, and from the speed ratiobetween the knife and gears existing at medium cut, said eccentricallyadjustable member being operable at different times to reduce orincrease the speed of the knife at the point of cutting relatively tothe speed of said gears and relatively. to its speed in the remainder ofits cycle, to cut lengths of the material shorter or longer respectivelythan said medium cut, the said member being mounted to rotate on centerfor said medium cut and having means whereby it is adjustable inoppositedirections from on center position, for said shorter and longercuts, respectively.

7. The combination in a machine for cutting paper and similar materialssupplied to-the machine in the form of a continuous web, of a paperfeed, a cuttinghead having a knife, said cutting head operating to movethe knife in successive cutting cycles in which it moves in thedirection a change speed hydraulic drive for mining the length of cut,the change speed being operable while the machine is standing idle formain adjustments, and while the machine is running' to give finaladjustments, an eccentrically adjustable member for changing therelative speeds of the knife at different points in its cycle to changethe speed of the knife relatively to the speed of the cutting head atthe point of cutting, said eccentric adjustment being operable for suchthe machine is idle and for the machine is running, the adjustment ofthe change speed drive and the eccentric being separate and independentand operable, alternately to give a step by step final adjustment whilethe machine is running.

8. In a web cutting machine, a rotary driving gear, a cutter, rotarymeans coaxial with said gear driving the cutter from said gears to movein successive circular cutting cycles, means for feeding the web to thecutter whichmoves in the direction of feed at the instant of cutting, achange speed the cutting head for deterdrive for the gear operable tochange the speed to change the length ter in its cycle at the instant ofcutting to the speed of the paper comprising an eccentricallyadjustablemember which at medium cuts with the knife operating at thespeed of the paper, ro-' tates concentrically with the axis of the gear,said member having a connection on one side of its axis to said gear andon the opposite side of its axis to said rotary means, and means formoving said member in opposite radial directions from said concentricpositio rotation relatively to both said connections to the gear and therotary means, the knife being located near the radial plane offlsaidconnections and the point of cuttingbeing near the plane of adjustmentwhereby the motion of said member in one direction causes an increase ofthe speed of the knife at the instant of cutting, andin the other at theinstant of cutting, a change speed drive for takes place 4 the speed ofthe cutchanging its center of the gear operable to change the speed ofsaid gear relatively to the feed while the machine is standing orrunning to change the length of cut, means for adjusting the speed ofthe cutter at the time of cutting to the speed of the paper comprisingan eccentrically adjustable member which at medium cuts with the knifeoperating at the speed of the paper, rotates concentrically with theaxis of the gear, said member having a conhection on one side of itsaxis to said gear and a connection on the other side of its axis to thecutter, and means for moving said member in opposite radial directionsfrom said concentric position, changing its center of rotationrelatively to both said connections to the gear and the cutter, themotion of said member in one direction causing an increase of the speedof the knife at the instant of cutting, and in the other direction adecrease of the speed of the knife at the instant of cutting, the knifebeing located adjacent the axial plane of said eccentric adjustment.

10. The combination in a machine for cutting paper and similar materialssupplied to the machine in the form of a continuous web of a paper feed,a cutting head having a knife, said cutting head operating to move theknife in successive cutting cycles in which it moves in the direction offeed at the point of cutting, a change speed hydraulic drive for thecutting head for determining the length of cut, the change speed beingoperable while the machine is standing idle for main adjustments, andwhile the machine is running to give final adjustments, an eccentricallyadjustable member for changing the relative speeds of the knife atdifferent points'in its cycle to change the speed of the kniferelatively to the speed of the cutting head at the point of cutting,

said eccentric adjustment being operable for such changes of speed formain adjustments while the machine is idle and for final adjustmentswhile the machine is running, the adjustment of the change speed driveand the eccentric being separate and independent and operablealternately to give a step by step final adjustment while the machine isrunning.

11. In a machine for cutting material from a web to form blanks oflengths adjustable at the will of the operator, a knife, means forfeeding the web thereto, circular gears to operate said knife insuccessive cutting cycles to move in the direction of the material atthe point of cutting and at the speed of the material to cut apredetermined medium length therefrom at a uniform angular velocity ofsaid gears and said knife, means for varying the velocity of said gearsat the will of the operator, said means being operable both to increaseor decrease the speed of said gears relatively to their speed at saidmedium cut and relatively to the rate of feed to decrease or increasethe length of material cut from the web, and an eccentrically adjustablerotary member operating the knife from said circular gears, said memberrotating concentrically with one of said gears at medium cut and beingadjustable in substantially opposite directions from itsposition ofmedium cut, the adjustment in one direction serving to increase and inthe other direction serving to decrease the speed of the knife at thepoint of cutting in its relation to the angular speed of said circulargear, in order that the speed of the knife may be controlled by theoperator to conform to the speed of the paper as the speed of thecircular gears is changed.

12. In a machine for cutting material from a web to form blanksoflengths adjustable at the will of the operator, a knife, means forfeeding the web thereto, a gear to operate said knife in successivecutting cycles to move in the direction bf the material at the point ofcutting and at the speed of the material to cut a predetermined mediumlength therefrom, means for varying the velocity of said gear at thewill of the operator, to change the length of material cut from the web,and an eccentrically adjustable rotary member operating the knife fromsaid gear, said member rotating concentrically with said gear atmediumcut and being adjustable in substantially opposite directions fromits position of medium cut, the adjustment in one direction serving toincrease and in the other direction serving. to decrease the speed ofthe knife at the point of cutting in its relation to the angular speedof said circular gear to adjust the knife to the speed of the paper, theknife being in alignment with the plane of adjustment at the point ofcutting so that it cuts at said increased speed at the fast point of itscycle and at reduced speeds at the slow point of its cycle.

13. In a machine for cutting material from a web to form blanks oflengths adjustable at the will of the operator, a knife, means forfeeding the web thereto, a gear, means driving the gear and meansdriving the knife from the 'gear to operate said knife in successivecutting cycles to move in the direction of the material at the point ofcutting to cut a predetermined medium length therefrom, the path of theknife being substantially circular, means for varying the velocity ofsaid gear at the will of the operator to decrease or increase the lengthof material cut from the web, said means comprising an eccentricallyadjustable rotary member driving the knife from the rear, said memberrotating concentrically with the knife cycle at medium cut and beingadjustable in substantially opposite directions from its position ofmedium cut to'increase by adjustment in one direction and to decrease byadjustment in the other direction, the speed of the knife at the pointof cutting in its relation to the angular speed of the circular gear andin relation to the speed of the knife in the remainder of its cycle inorder that the knife may be controlled by the operator to conform to thespeed of the paper as the length of cut is either decreased or increasedfrom the medium cut.

14. In a machine for cutting material from a web to form blanks ofadjustable lengths comprising a knife, means for feeding the webthereto, a'rotary gear, and a rotary carrier for the knife driventhereby, means for driving said gear to operate the knife in successivecutting cycles to move in the direction of the material at the point ofcutting and at the speed of the material to cut a medium length blanktherefrom at a uniform angular velocityvof said gear and said knife,means for varying the velocity of said gear relatively to the feed tocut shorter or longer blanks and an eccentrically adjustable memberdriving said knife from said gear, said member being mounted to rotatecoaxially with said gear and said carrier for said medium cut, meanseccentrically located as to said gear for driving said member from thegear, the knife carrier having means eccentrically located as to itsaxis of rotation whereby it is connected to said member and means formoving said member on opposite sides of its coaxial position to changeits relation to both said eccentrically located means, the movement ofsaid member on one side of said coaxial position serving to increase,and on the other side serving" to decrease the speed of the knife at thepoint of cutting relatively to the speed of said circular gear.

'15. In a machine for cutting material from a web to form blanks ofadjustable lengths comprising a knife, means for feeding the webthereto, a circular gear, rotary means driven by said gear to operatethe knife in successive cutting cycles, means for driving the circulargear to operate the knife to move in the direction of the materialat.the point of cutting at the speed of the material to cut apredetermined medium length blank therefrom at a iuniform angularvelocity of said gear and said knife, means for varying the velocity ofsaid gear relatively to the feed by increasing or decreasing its speedrelatively to its speed at said medium cut to cut shorter or longerblanks, and an eccentrically adjustable member driving said knife fromsaid rotary means, said 'member being mounted to rotate coaxially withsaid gear for said medium cut, means eccentrically located as to saidgear for driving said member from the gear, the said rotary means havingmeans eccentrically located as to its axis of rotation whereby it isconnected to said member to be driven thereby and means for moving saidmember on opposite sides of its coaxial position to change its relationto both said eccentrically located means, the movement of said member onone side of said coaxial position serving to increase and on the otherside serving to decrease the speed of the knife at the point of cuttingrelatively to the speed of said circular gear, the knife being inalignment with both eccentrically located means and being in the line ofeccentric adjustment at the time of cutting so that ithas its minimumspeed in its cycle at the instant ofcutting blanks shorter than mediumand its maximum speed in its cycle at the instant of cutting in cuttingblanks longer than medium length.

'1 6. In a machine for cutting corrugated paper board from a web, a pairof opposed knives, means for operating the knives-to move ,insubstantially circular paths, about substantially parallel axes whichpaths intersect along an arc corresponding to the period of cutting,means for feeding the material to the knives at said are ofintersection, at right angles to said axes the speed of the knives atthe intersection being normally equal to the speed of the material, therelation of the respective knives to each other and to-the feed beingsuch that both knives move in the direction of the material at the saidare of intersection, each knife having a cutting edge which is locatedin a substantially radial plane of its axis, and elon-' gated in thegeneral direction of the axis, giving suflicient length to cut thedesired width of web to be presented, one of the knives having ashearing surface extending inwardly from the edge at the initial pointof intersection the said edges being arranged to converge toward one endin initial cutting position the knives being geared to operate inunison, causing the edges to contact at one end at the beginning of theintersection of the paths, thecontactprogressing along the respectiveedges toward the opposite end asithe material and the knives advance andalong said shearing surfaces and moving in the direction of the feed andat the rate of feed of the web.

1'7. In a machine for cutting corrugated paper board from a web, a pairof opposed knives, means for operating the knives to move insubstantially circular paths about substantially parallel axes. whichintersect along an arc corresponding to the depth of cut, means forfeeding the material to the arc of intersection, at right angles to saidaxes the speed of the knives at the intersection being normally equal tothe speed of the material. the phase of rotation of the respectiveknives and their relation to each other and to the feed being such. thatboth knives move in the direction of the material at the said point ofintersection, each knife having an edge which is elongated in asubstantially radial plane of the axis, each said edge extending in thegeneral direction of its axis, giving suflicient length to cut thedesired width ofiweb to be presented,the edges being arranged toconverge toward one side in initial cutting position and the knivesbeing geared to operate in unison, causing the edges to contact at oneend at the beginning of the intersection of the paths,

the contact progressing along the respective edges toward the oppositeend, and in the direction of the feed of the web and at the speed of theweb both of said knives having shearing surfaces extending inwardly fromtheir edges toward their speed of the knives and the paper serving togive a straight cut at right angles to the length of the web and thedirection of feed.

18. In a machine for cutting stiff paper from a web, a pair of knives,means for operating the knives to move .in substantially circular paths,about parallel axes which paths intersect, bringing the knife edges incontact along a cutting are, means for feeding the web to said are at aconstant. speed and at right angles to said axes, the speed of theknives in said are being equal to the speed of the web and the relationof the knives to each other and to the feed being such that both knivesmove in the direction of the material through the arc, each knife havingits cutting edge located in a radial plane 'of its axis and elongated inthe'direction of the axis. the said edges being arranged to converge inthe plane of both axes, toward one end of the knives, said knives beinggeared together to operate in unison causing the edges to contact at oneend at the beginning of the arc of intersection of these paths," thecontact progressing along the two edges toward the opposite ends as thematerial and the knives advance and moving in the direction of feed atthe rate of feed, giving a cut-at right angles to the length ofdirection of the feed.

HENRY BL'GREENWOOD.

the web andthe

